Gypsum annexing 45 acres east of town, possibly more

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GYPSUM - Gypsum is in the process of annexing about 45 acres east of town and will likely start on another 1.5-acre parcel soon.The 45-acre parcel is just west of Eagle on the south side of U.S. Highway 6 in unincorporated Eagle County. Oldcastle SW Group has owned and operated B&B Excavating at the site since 1986.B&B currently trucks material to its other site in Edwards to make concrete. The company wants to consolidate its operations at the property between Eagle and Gypsum. To do that, it will need potable water, and the nearest waterline belongs to the town of Gypsum. Jason Burkey and other Oldcastle representatives asked the town if it would be possible to get its water last May."We approached the town council about buying water and they said it would be best for us to annex if we were going to use Gypsum water," said Burkey, who is the environmental resource manager for Oldcastle.Burkey emphasized that the company is not adding any kind of use to the property. The special use permit was last amended by the county in 2007.A 1.5-acre parcel sits between the B&B property and the Gypsum waterline. Ferrellgas leases the property, which is owned by Dennis Carey. Last week, Carey and his lawyer, Steve Beattie, asked Gypsum Town Council about possibly annexing to the town and running the new waterline through Carey's land to the B&B site.The council members were encouraging."It seems like it might be beneficial to B&B, you and the town," Mayor Steve Carver said.Carey's concerns had mostly to do with the town's water being more expensive and any new restrictions that might catch him by surprise.Carver told him the zoning would remain as it is and probably wouldn't restrict him unless he wanted to do something drastically different with the land."Our water is expensive, but being part of the town water supply now could be an advantage in the future (when water is likely to be in higher demand with a shorter supply)," said council member Tom Edwards.With that, Carey and Beattie said they were agreeable to the idea of annexing and would start the process.Gypsum Town Planner Lana Gallegos said annexation of the B&B site is scheduled to finish in March.Burkey said B&B currently imports crushed and washed sand and gravel to make asphalt at the Eagle/Gypsum site. Asphalt and concrete are also recycled there."If we don't have to send material to Edwards to make concrete, that will save a lot of driving and reduce our carbon footprint," he said.B&B was recognized for its environmental sustainability by Eagle County in 2011.